Sand picture and process of making it



May 7, 1929. F, R, SPECK 1,711,701

SAND FICTURE AND PROCESS 0F MAKING IT Filed Jan. 19, 1928 Patented May 7, 1929.

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L FRaNK R. s111301;Z or PHOENIX, ARIZONA# sANn PICTURE AND lPROCESS or MAKING rr.

yApplicationmcd January 19,1928. serial No. 247,959.

This invention relates to pictures made by sifting sand upon a glass plate, and particularly to a methodof making such pictures.v

The general object of the invention is to provide a method of making pictures from grains of sand which is such that the artist can follow a sketch. in making the picture.

from said grains and can from time to time determine Whether or not thelsandgrain picture is correct and in accordance With his ideas. y

My. inventionis illustrated in the accompanying drawing, Whereinz v Figure l is a'front view of a sand picture constructed in accordance With my process; Figure 2 is a top plan view of the sketch from Which the `sand picture is made;

' Flgure 311s a vertical sectional view show-y ing the process of making the sand picture;

Figure 4 is a like view to Figure 3 but showing thesand picture being checked up by viewing the picture in a mirror Y Figure 5I is a vertical sectional view of the completed picture. Y Y

In thefproduction of the `sand grainvk pic'- ture, a frame 10 is used which is rectangular :in form and may bevmadeof tin, glass, metal or any other suitable material but this frame is shovvnas beingof metaland as having the relatively vnarrovvv facing flanges 11 and the outwardly extending, relatively deepflanges 12. In the production of a picture, a sheetk of glass 13 is disposed Within the frame and bearing against the flanges 10. Of course, it Will be understood that the frame and the glass 13 might be integral or made of one integral piece of glass.

In the production of the picture, a sketch 14 is used, as shown in Figure 2, and the frame laid over this sketch, thesketch shovving through the glass 13 (Fig. 3). The artist then takes sand of different colors by means of a small spoon and distributes it on the glass plate 13 in accordance With the sketch, fiat pointed steel instruments being used to move the grains of sand about from place* to place until the properly lcoloredy .the drawing.

v'side from which it will be observed lWhen the Work is completed. I

After the sand yis all put in place so that arcomplete picture is reflected from the mir-v ror, more sand is carefully sifted on the back, makingthe entire depth of the sand perhaps flg, it. being understood that the sand grains are very fine and almost in powdered condition. Next a piece of vfelt 16, Which is the sizeof the frame, is saturated with soda silicate or other glue or cement and carefully placed over the last named layer of'sand. Over this felt is placed aheavy sheetof tin or sheet metal 17 and the edges of the frame, that is the flanges 12, are pressed over against this sheet of metal. The Whole. f

I am. aware of the fact that sand pictures have heretofore been made but these have been` made byy sticking the sand upon the glass With glue, cement yor other like `material. No glueor other cementitious material is used With the sand pictures made as described, but by makingthe sandv pictures as stated it is possible to hold the sand so vfirmly against theglassv that it is impossible for the sand to shift orfor4 different,coloredsands to mix` With each other. kThusfthe.outlinesy ofthe picture are perfectly vve'll defined and the different colors clearly and permanently separated. Grains ofsand of different sizes may, of course, be used so that the proper perspective effect may be secured. This sand is such as is found in the Painted Desert and the pictures illustrate scenes in the Painted Desert, such, for instance, as the Rain-v bow Natural Bridge north of the Arizona- Utah line, this being the scene illustrated in Obviously other pictures may be made in the same manner.

ll/Vhile I havev heretofore Areferred to and preferably use a sketch, as in Figure 2 at 14, it is to be understood that any pattern may be used to indicate the proper positioning of the sand and a stencihfor instance, `is a pattern which could be used in forming the picture. Thus, for instance, one stencil could be used to indicate the bridge, another stencil to indicate the sand forming the top of the bridge,`an other stencil for the background,- etc. Fur- Cat thermore, I do not Wish to be limited to the use of an adhesive-coated fibrous pad as, for instance, the felt layer 16, as under some circumstances the adhesive may be leftoff and a pad of fibrous material such as blotting paper, felt or the like used. The Soft and fibrous nature of such a pad causes the grains to be embedded in the pad to a considerable extent so that the grains will not shift after they have Y been submitted to pressure and the backing put in place.

I claim:-

l. The method of making a sand picture which consists in disposing a frame having a glass front over a sketch of the scene to be depicted, disposing diiferent colored sands upon the back face of the glass, placing la textile backing having an adhesive-coated surface over the sand after the picture is completed, and then putting a backing plate upon the textile fabric and engaging it with the frame. Y

2. The method of making a sand picture which consists in disposing a frame having a glass front over a sketch, arranging grains of'diflerent colored sands upon the inside surface of the glass plate, sifting sand over the inner surface of the completed picture until the entire inner surface of the completed picture is covered, placing a pad of soft, fibrous, material having its inner surface covered with adhesive over the layer of sand, disposing a vmetal plate over the textile fabric, and engag ing the metal plate firmly With t-he frame.

3. As an article of manufacture, a sand picture comprising a frame having a glass front, the inner face of the glass having a thin layer of colored sands arranged thereon to form the picture, a second layer of sand disposed upon the first layer, a pad of soft, fibrous material, having adhesive applied'to its inner face, the pad being disposed over the second layer of sand, and a metal plate disposed against the pad and engaged firmlyl sand, and a metal plate disposed against the fibrous pad, the metal frame being turned inward against the metal plate to hold it in place.

5. A method of making a sand picture which consists in disposing different colored sands upon the back face of a piece of glass disposed withina frame, the sands being disposed in accord-ance with a pattern, placing a pad of fibrous material over the sand after the picture is completed, and then putting a backing plate upon the pad and engaging the backing plate with the frame". v

6. A method of making a' sand picture which consists in disposing different colored sands upon the back face of a sheet of glass disposed in a frame having outstanding flanges, placing a pad of fibrous material over the sand after the picture is completed, putting a backing plate upon the pad, and bending the flanges of the frame over uponfthe back plate.

7. As an article of manufacture, a'sand picture comprising a frame having a glass front, the inner face of thefglassfhaving thereon a thin layer made up of colored sands arranged thereon to form a picture, a pad of relatively so o soft fibrous material applied to the inner `face of the sand, and a metal platedisposed against the plate and engaged firmly with said frame. In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

FRANK R. SPECK. p i" v 

